One Day At A Time
by LysCat
Summary: Set during season four's 'We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes.' Instead of Damon rescuing Elena on the bridge, it's Elijah.


Title: Untitled  
Author: Alysia  
Category: Post episode/alternate universe  
Summary: Set during 'We All Go A Little Made Sometimes.' Instead of Damon saving her on the bridge though, it's Elijah.  
Disclaimer: I don't any of the characters familiar to TVD.  
Author's Note: So this idea has never been far from my thoughts, but my attention was always on my other stories. I'd envisioned writing this as a one shot, and when my computer quit on me, I ended up putting pen to paper. I hope you guys aren't disappointed and that this will hold you over until I can update AOF.

* * *

"This wasn't the way my life was supposed to turn out. I should have died that night."

The image before her nodded along with Elena's words, encouraging them. "You can fix it. It's not too late."

Elena's attention turned to the daylight ring she wore, the ring that Bonnie had spelled for her. She twisted it around her finer. "No, I suppose not," she admitted gravely.

"You've wanted nothing more these past years than to protect your friends…protect Jeremy."

The brunette nodded slowly. The words rang true, but something was off. She knew that removing her ring would sentence her to certain death within a matter of minutes, but she couldn't find issue with it.

"This will ensure his safety. With you gone, he can escape the supernatural you brought into his life."

And with that final encouragement, she tore the ring off her finger and threw it into the water below. Staring unblinkingly, she reached for the side of the bridge.

"Elena!"

Refusing to turn, she frowned into the space before her. "I've had enough," she denied. "I've already tossed my ring away. What more can I possibly do?" Why wouldn't they stop taunting her? Katherine, Conner, her mother…and now him? Why?

"Why would you do that?"

She shook her head before turning to face the owner of the voice speaking to her. "To make the voices stop," she replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "But at least I got to see you before I die…even if you aren't real."

He stepped closer to her. "I am real," he told her, imploringly.

Again, she shook her head in negative.

"If I wasn't, why would you see me?" Based on the heart wrenching experience that his brother shared with Elena, he knew that those ethereal forms, those voices belonged to those that most influenced their lives. She didn't seem surprised by his presence, and he felt curious as to the reason why. However, he'd ponder more on it at a later time.

"Because you're you," she smiled sadly. "Because you've saved my life, or attempted to…repeatedly," Elena tacked on. Whether he had or not, he'd had the intention to. "It's fitting, isn't it? That I'm seeing you this one last time." Otherwise, why would Elijah be there? He had left Mystic Falls with the intention of never returning.

"And you believe that death is the answer?" Elena had long since stopped playing the martyr role. She continued to have her moments, but for the most, she was over it.

"I've been cheating death since my father drove off this bridge," she whispered. "I've been living on borrowed time since then. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something."

"That's bullshit," he bit out.

Her lips twisted into a smirk and her eyes hardened. "And that's how I know you aren't real," she tossed back. "The real Elijah would never say such a thing."

He sighed in frustration, annoyed that he was unable to reach her. "You don't know me well enough to base this on my words. I am capable of foul language, but I chose not to express them," Elijah denied passionately. "If the universe is trying to tell you anything, it's that life doesn't always go as planned. But that doesn't always have to be a bad thing. It's okay that you aren't living the life you imagined you would when you were twelve."

"No it isn't. I failed as a human." It was an epic fail, and not just Caroline's meaning of 'epic,' but actually 'epic.' "I messed with things that I had no business being involved in. And this new life hasn't been any better."

Her transition was still so new, of course she would struggle. Despite the fact that she'd been involved with vampires for years; seeing them and being one were two completely different things. "You're still young, Elena. There is so much you have yet to learn," he pointed out softly.

"I've hurt Stefan. I'm not the same girl he fell in love with." They'd had their issues in the past, but they were nothing compared to the ways she'd hurt him since her transition. "I can't control my blood lust, and I can only keep down the blood I take directly from the vain," she listed. Her emotions got the better of her at that point. Her voice began to waver and tears began to sting her eyes. "And Damon is just this…force in my life that I can't fight." She thought on the conflicted emotions that arisen within her because of it. "It's like I can't do anything myself, I'm constantly waiting for his approval and instructions, and nothing I do makes him happy. I'm not the same girl I once was, but I can't be the person he wants me to be!"

He closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms, enclosing her within them. "Hush, sweet, Elena," he spoke as if comforting a small child. Her description of her relationship sounded like a sire bond. Was she sired to Damon? Of all vampires, it had to be him? Then again, it didn't really matter, he'd take care of it before the day was out.

"Everything's such a mess," she cried into his embrace.

He tightened his hold on her. "I'll help you," he promised.

It didn't occur to her that she was in his arms, or that her previous hallucinations hadn't touched her. They'd been unable to touch her. "It's too late," she denied. Even if she could somehow climb out of the darkness in her life, daylight was only seconds away. She'd turn to ash before she even had a chance to make a positive change in her life.

"The hell it is!" He watched the sun rise over the horizon. Unable to do anything else he rushed towards the railing of the bridge. With Elena still secured in his embrace, he jumped over the edge and into the rushing water below.

Opening her eyes, Elena attempted to blink away the fog and confusion she felt upon awakening. The last…however many hours were nothing more than one large blur. The voices were gone, for the first time since they began, she felt a sense of peace. She frowned, trying to piece together everything. But…wait…how… She tried to remember the last cognizant moment she had.

The taunting wouldn't stop. No matter what she did, they were there. All of the people that she'd loved and lost, those that she hated, they had refused to leave her alone. And then there'd been Elijah. She figured that he'd been nothing more than a hallucination as well, at least until she felt herself being pulled over the edge of the bridge. He'd been there? Or had something awakened within her that drove her to want to survive?

"I see you're awake."

She turned towards the voice. "Elijah…" She as too emotionally drained to smile, but she hoped the relief in her voice was noticeable to him. "You're here."

"Where else would I be after the events that took place this morning?" He certainly wouldn't have left, not without at least making sure she was okay; not without speaking to her.

"You really were there…" She frowned, realizing how she sounded. "I'm sorry, my thoughts were, are, jumbled."

He nodded. "I'm aware of your struggle. My brother experienced the same torment when he killed a hunter from the same group centuries ago." He leaned forward in his chair. "I wasn't able to help Nicklaus then, but I'm glad I found you when I did."

"Me too," she agreed quietly. "Thank you, Elijah. You've saved me how many times now?"

Her tone took on light note and he was relieved to see it. "I do have my moments," he reminded her in a slightly playful tone.

"How did you know about me?"

"My brother called me."

She frowned. "And you came to help me," Elena finished. Why would he do that? They'd already proved more than once where their allegiances fell. "Why?" When he offered her a pointed look in response, she shook her head. "It's not that I'm not grateful, but why would you come for me?"

"Because I'm responsible for your current position," he admitted with a sigh.

She immediately shook her head, disagreeing with him. "No. This is not your fault," she protested. He hadn't been anywhere near Mystic Falls. He'd left, and for all she knew, he hadn't had any plans to return within the span of her life. No, he was far from blame.

He placed a hand over her cloth covered thigh to gather her attention. "In a roundabout way, I am," he denied. "I left you. I left you here, unprotected."

"You couldn't have known that Rebekah would have caused that accident." Despite being the first vampire in existence, he wasn't God.

"No," he agreed softly, removing his hand from her. "But I should have known that she'd try something." Rebekah was just as impulsive as Klaus, sometimes more so. She was angry over the way things happened that night, she'd been grieving. And to her, it had all been Elena's fault. Even if Elena hadn't been the one to kill Klaus, it was because of her that he'd been killed. "I should have forced her leave with me." Or, at the very least, he should have waited for her to leave before he departed.

"It isn't your fault, Elijah. I don't blame you for what happened." Never once had she associated him to the events that occurred that night.

"But I blame myself," he argued. "And at this point, there's nothing you could say that will change my thoughts on the matter."

When it became obvious that he wouldn't falter on his thoughts, she changed the subject. It was a latent thought, something that she was only beginning to think on. "There's something that I don't understand," she confessed after a pregnant pause.

"Yes?"

"Why am I better? I mean, how? Klaus said that the only way to stop it was for another to be called," she whispered, thinking on the hybrid's words.

He sighed, adjusting in his seat. "Elena, something-"

"Who was it?" She interrupted. "How? I thought it was a special thing?" She knew that some regular 'Joe' off the street wasn't just invited into the group. She knew enough from Connor's words that it wasn't a simple process.

"Your brother," he began again. When she offered him a look of confusion, he sighed. "Jeremy is now a member of the Five."

She shook her head. "No, that can't be," she denied. It was bad enough that she'd lusted after his blood, thus causing her to pull away from him. He couldn't be a vampire hunter. No.

"I'm sorry, Elena," he apologized. "But it's true. My brother arranged for him to kill one of his hybrids. As soon as he did that, it was activated."

She pushed herself up. "Where is he?" She was ready to track him down. His life would be irrevocably changed from that day forward. She needed to make sure he was okay.

Elijah stopped her from getting up. "Away," he answered. "I believe that he's staying with your friend Matt." Jeremy hadn't exactly been his first concern that morning, so whatever he knew was through Stefan.

"I have to see him." Once again, she tried to get up.

His actions became slightly more forceful and he bent over her in order to keep her in place. "I insist you stay here," his tone left no room to be argued against.

She dropped back against the pillows, but she couldn't drop the conversation. "I need to speak with him," she told the Original, pleading with him to understand her position. He'd do anything for his siblings, he knew she felt the same about Jeremy.

"Elena, if he sees you, he may not be able to hold himself back from killing you," he warned. Jeremy would kill her before he had a chance to consider otherwise. "Becoming one of The Five, is all encompassing. He may not want to kill you, but he will be unable to stop himself. He won't even be able to process the fact that you are his sister before he has a stake rammed through your heart."

"But this is his home," she denied. "It isn't right that he had to leave because of me." She'd already changed his life enough, he didn't deserve to be run out of his home because of her.

"Then it appears that you have a decision to make," Elijah said, clasping his hands in front of him.

At that moment, Damon burst into the room with Stefan trailing behind him. "You have no right," Damon hissed at the Original. Cutting a furious look over to Elena, his eyes flashed. "Don't you dare listen to him, Elena!"

Elena frowned at him, expecting to feel the unwanted need to follow his direction. However, she felt nothing more than confusion as she looked from him towards Stefan and then back again.

"Damon," Stefan said, hoping to catch his brother's attention. "Let her make a decision," he added forcefully, hoping that he'd be able to make his brother listen to him. He placed a restrictive hand on Damon's shoulder, but his attention flittered from Elijah towards Elena, softening as it settled on her. "It's her life, let her choose," he said softly, frowning as he did so; as if resigned to her then unmade decision. However, something told him that it would not turn out favorable for either him or his brother.

The minute that Elijah arrived with an unconscious Elena, he'd been out of his mind with worry. Vampires were much more durable than humans, unless a vampire had been severely injured, they didn't fall unconscious. It wasn't until Elijah assured them that Elena was physically well that he calmed down, but the same couldn't be said for Damon.

The last several weeks, he'd watched, useless to stop the growing closeness between Damon and Elena. Despite what happened, he knew that she still had feelings for him. However, the more time that passed, the more he was beginning to realize that her feelings for Damon were also growing. He couldn't sit by and watch it any longer, he wouldn't. And so he found himself in a constant push and pull with his emotions. He loved Elena, he didn't want to walk away from her, but he couldn't watch her relationship with Damon change either. And that caused him to worry about pulling away from her. If he did, what would that do to her?

"She needs to listen to us, we know what's best for her," Damon insisted, not realizing that he interrupted his brother's thoughts.

Stefan offered Elena an apologetic glance before he began dragging his brother from the room.

Elena and Elijah waited until they heard the siblings arguing downstairs before either one spoke. Elena cleared her throat. "That was odd."

Elijah only pursed his lips. Odd, wasn't the word that he would have chosen to use. Damon had always been far too outspoken, no matter how far out his depths he appeared to be.

She shook her head. "Damon. It's like I've been obligated to listen to all of his orders, no matter which roundabout way they were given. But I don't feel particularly inclined to listen to him right now."

He nodded. "Yes, that I believe was a sire bond," Elijah informed her then. "I took the liberty of breaking that tie," he confessed, unapologetically.

"I thought…" her brows furrowed together in confusion. "I was sired to him? How? What does that mean?"

"It means that you were obligated to listen to his instructions, whether you wanted to or not. It's not exactly common, but it's been known to happen. As for how, I'll explain all of it another day."

"But how did you-"

"I'm an Original, Elena. I'm a special kind of vampire," he replied easily. "If I've offended you, I can change it back. However, I thought it would make your situation much easier if I severed the sire bond."

She immediately shook her head. No, without being under the obligation to listen to Damon, her life would be much easier. Her other relationships wouldn't suffer because of it. "No," she denied. "I was just confused." She scrunched her nose. "That seems to be my new normal." Just when she thought that she'd figured everything out, she was in a near constant state of confusion. "What was that about?" She asked, referring to the scene that Damon had made.

"Your Salvatore brothers expected your feelings regarding Jeremy's removal from the house. They've offered for you to move in with them at the bed and breakfast."

Oh. Her first thought was absolutely not. Not with the way that things had been changing between the three of them. "So why was Damon so angry?"

"Because I would like to extend an invitation to you as well," he offered firmly, his gaze never wavering from hers.

Her eyes widened. Had she heard him correctly? "Excuse me?" He offered her an invitation to…live with him? "You don't even live here," she reminded him.

One corner of his mouth tilted up in amusement. "I am aware of that. However, I extend my offer all the same." If she wanted to remain in Mystic Falls, he'd work with it. "I could return to town."

"Why would you do that?" He'd been gone for months. And then he shows up suddenly and asks her to live with him?

"I need to make this right, Elena."

Make it right. "So…I'm nothing more than an obligation to you?" Because that's what it sounded like to her. "Elijah, if that's your only purpose in asking, I can find alternative arrangements."

"You are not an obligation," he shook his head. "I told you that I felt responsible for you, for your circumstance."

"And I told you that you don't owe me anything," she reminded him softly.

"Be that as it may, I still feel responsible. I am asking you to give me a chance to make it right. I am offering you this opportunity because I want to, not because I have to." It would have been much easier to make sure she was well and then be on his way.

And how would that happen? How could he possibly make things right for her? He tried to do that for her before his departure and she still turned into a vampire. There was no making things 'right.' No matter what he did for her, she would remain a vampire. And was he actually proposing that she move into the mansion with Klaus? No, not only with Klaus, but with Rebekah? If it hadn't been for Klaus, she never would have suffered that aneurism. And Rebekah had been the one responsible for her death that night on the bridge. "I don't think I could ever live with your family." Wait, she wasn't actually considering this. She couldn't.

"I wouldn't have to take up residence there," he offered, understanding her hesitance. "If you are serious about remaining in Mystic Falls, I could find other arrangements that suit our needs."

"You don't trust Stefan or Damon to help me, do you?"

"No, I don't," Elijah admitted flatly. He'd never agreed with the way they handled situations or handled Elena. Neither was willing to bend to her wants or desires, though both had different ways of handling it. Damon, without any regard for anyone else, constantly berated her and Stefan would guilt her into agreeing with him. "Can you honestly tell me that they've given me any reason to?"

She shook her head slowly. Stefan was in a near constant state of guilt where she was concern. And if it wasn't that, it was anger. Her situation with Damon only further complicated things. Both had laid their lives on the line for her numerous times. She knew that they wanted to protect her, but they'd also failed as many times as they'd succeeded. But he was right about them. They constantly argued with each other over her, over the best things for her.

Despite all their failings, he knew that both Salvatore brothers loved and wanted to protect Elena, but their own egos got in the way. And given the things that she confessed to him on the bridge earlier that day; that was still the case where Damon and Stefan were concerned. "Elena, if you agree to my offer, I will take care of you. I will teach you everything you need to know for the rest of your life. You will not be left desiring for anything," he promised. If she accepted him, he would have her running circles around Stefan and his brother. "I promise that you will prosper under my tutelage."

"If I say yes, I would never hear the end of it." She could already {correctly} hear the less than pleasant things that Damon would have to say. And Stefan would more than likely make her feel guilty for giving in to Elijah's invitation.

"You are probably correct about that," he admitted. If Damon's reaction earlier was any indication, she'd have issues. "Do me a favor, close your eyes." He watched her expression turn incredulous. "Just do it."

She shook her head, but listened to him anyway.

"Think about your life, Elena. Think about where you are in your life right now." He studied her face. Her eyes were still closed, but she still frowned all the same. "Now, think about where you want to be in ten years from now."

She knew she wouldn't be in Mystic Falls. Elena wasn't sure how much longer she'd remain there before being forced to leave before looking suspicious to others. Maybe she wouldn't find a new town to settle in. Traveling sounded like a tempting thought. Maybe she could even travel abroad?

Elijah watched a peaceful expression settle on her face. "Now, consider the path you'll take to get there." He gave her a second to consider his instruction; once again, he noticed her mouth tilt down in a frown. "Do you honestly see either Stefan or Damon being the way to get there? When you truly adjust to this existence, do you see them being responsible for that?"

Truthfully…no, she couldn't see them responsible for the future she envisioned for herself. She opened her eyes and pursed her lips. "But they've done so much for me."

"Don't think about that, Elena." He understood that they'd helped her, but she'd helped them too, didn't that make them even? "Don't think about what you may or may not owe other people. When's the last time you put yourself first?" For as long as he'd known her, she'd put herself last. She did what she did, in part to save her life; but more importantly, to save the lives of her friends. "Isn't it time that you do that?" He watched her hesitate, considering his words. It was the closest that he'd come so far. Extending a hand, he turned it upwards.

Elena's gaze moved from his face towards his hand and back again.

"Come away with me," he invited in a velvety smooth voice. "Let me get my affairs in order. I'll start tutoring you while we're away; and if you still want to, we will return to Mystic Falls."

She shook her head. "I can't go."

His eyes dulled for a moment, he was so sure that he'd had her. "Elena…"

"No, I threw my ring over the bridge, I can't go anywhere." She'd be stuck to the darkness of night. She hadn't even stopped to consider how he'd been able to get her home that morning.

"I have something for you." Reaching into his jacket pocket, he removed a ring. It was far different than the one that she previously wore, the design more intricate, but the necessity of it worked all the same. He offered it towards her direction. "Regardless if you decide to come with me or not, it's yours."

She reached for the object, holding it between her thumb and forefinger. "How did you know I'd need it?" She asked, staring at the beautiful piece of jewelry. "Do you make a habit of always carrying around jewelry?"

He smiled sheepishly. "Not always," he eluded. "However, when I spoke with Nicklaus, I figured it wouldn't hurt anything to bring this with me. Turns out, I was right."

"Is that how you got me home this morning?"

He nodded. "I had you stay under the bridge in the shade as I retrieved it from my car. I would have kept it on you, but I didn't know if you'd want to wear a ring I gave you." Maybe she would have wanted her other one back, or for Bonnie to spell her a new one?

She slipped it onto her finger and admired it there for a moment before turning to meet his gaze. "Thank you."

Elijah nodded once in a sense of satisfaction. "You are most welcome." The fact that she wore an object of his, an object that told others she as closely involved with the Originals, pleased him beyond everything else. Whether she chose to join him or not, it would provide further protection against others of their kind.

A sense of humility settled over her as he once again extended a hand towards her. "Please, give me a chance. Come with me, Elena," he pleaded with her once again. "You won't regret it, I promise you."

Nibbling on her bottom lips, she raised a hand and settled it against his open palm. "Okay," she nodded. "I trust you." And she meant that with every fiber of her being. He'd either saved her or attempted to help her more than once.

He grasped her hand, offering her a comforting squeeze. "Thank you, Elena, for trusting me." He'd make sure that she wouldn't regret it.

She replied with a small smile. "How are we going to do this?" What would she tell the school?

"One day at a time."

* * *

"You sure you want to do this?" Jeremy asked, remaining a safe distance away from his sister. Damon had never been a favorite person of his, so the desire to kill him was not a new sensation. However, he wasn't prepared for the all-encompassing desire to kill his sister.

He stepped foot in his home with a cautious air, a tingling crawling up his spine as his hair stood on end. At first, he'd been upset that Stefan, Damon and Elijah refused to leave him alone with Elena. He'd felt insulted. However, as the desire to stake her rose, he was thankful that they were only a few feet away to intervene should he need it.

Elena sighed. "I…I have to," she whispered. "I refuse to drive you away from your home."

"It's your home too," he observed softly, watching her nod along.

"Yes, but I'm offering to leave."

"You know you don't have to." She'd told him that she felt bad, driving him away from their childhood home, but he felt the same exact way. He didn't want her to have to leave, but they both knew that cohabitation was out of the question. The resolve was obvious on her face and he knew there'd be no changing her mind. "So, Elijah, huh?"

She peered over at the three vampires, her gaze changing from Stefan and Damon before settling on Elijah. It was obvious that Damon was venting his anger against Elijah; for what she didn't know; she guess that it was over just about everything.

"You think you can trust him?"

"I know I can," she immediately replied. When she noticed his incredulous expression, Elena smiled softly. "I know what you're thinking. I know that without your new…viewpoints, that you don't trust him or his family. He's proved more than once that he is."

"And he's also proved that he isn't."

She nodded slowly. "He's saved my life or attempted to, multiple times, Jer," Elena said softly. "I know that when he says that he'll help me, he will. And it's not like I'll be gone forever." She frowned then. "I can't stay here. I can't stay with Damon and Stefan. I know that they both want to protect me, and I know that I would have been long since dead without them, but it's not enough anymore."

"I know," he agreed sadly. He'd watched his sister struggle the last couple months with her transition. Whatever she needed was not being done.

"I'll be back," she offered softly. "I just don't know when," she gestured to the suit cases that she'd packed. Elijah had told her to pack the things that she insisted she'd need, personal possessions. With an air of casualty, he'd suggested that he'd buy her any clothes that she would need, but she couldn't allow him to do that.

Jeremy watched her take a cautious step towards him. In response, he stepped back, watching as she stopped helplessly. "You shouldn't come any closer," he warned gently, not trusting himself. It was difficult enough being only a few feet away from her, he didn't know what he'd do if she closed that distance between them.

She nodded sadly. "I just wanted a hug."

"I know, but it's not safe. I'm not safe," he offered her a sad smile, hoping to show her that it was himself he didn't trust. "Maybe while you're gone, I can conquer this desire?" He didn't want to live the rest of his life with this need controlling him.

"I hope you can," she really hoped that he could. She knew the time was coming that they would both move on, attend college, begin their own lives. But she didn't want their circumstances to determine their relationships for the rest of their lives

"Are you ready, Elena?" Elijah asked, approaching the siblings. He waited for her acknowledgment before he moved to grab her suitcases.

"I guess this is it," she sighed, watching as Elijah loaded her things in his car. She turned back to her brother offering him a watery smile. "I love you, Jer."

"I love you too."

Elijah returned to her side.

"You'll take care of her?" Jeremy asked, sizing up the Original. The truth was, he didn't know what to make of Elijah. While he hated Klaus and Rebekah, Elena was right in her assessment that Elijah wasn't like them. At least he wasn't completely like them.

"I'll do better than that," he acknowledged. "I'll teach her to take care of herself."

"Good."

With one final farewell, the siblings separated. With a heavy heart, Elena followed Elijah to his car. No words were exchanged as he opened her door and closed it behind her. Nor was nothing spoken as he turned off her street. He sat patiently, quietly as she attempted to deal with the emotional separation.

And when her breathing accelerated, whether in effort to control her emotions or because she was losing her battle against them, he said nothing. Instead, he reached for the hand she had cradled in her lap. Pulling it into his own, he squeezed it affectionately as he departed from Mystic Falls for an indeterminable time.

* * *

Hearing the sound of the car coming up the drive, Elena made her way into the living room. Dimming the lights, she perched on the ornate, wingback chair, waiting for her returning lover. He was more than that though. In the intervening years after her tearful exit from Mystic Falls, her life had certainly changed.

Elijah had proved true to his promise to teach her everything that she would need to know. While Elijah tied up his affairs, he continued to tutor her and share everything he knew. She returned to her childhood town in time to play 'catch up' with her school work and graduate with her class. During that time, he leased a lavish townhouse for them. Jeremy, with fierce determination, had managed to control the hunter within him; but she never did return to the house for anytime longer than a single night. Things had irrevocably changed between the siblings, but they'd managed to work through it. They spoke every other day and she made a point to return to Mystic Falls twice a year to visit him.

After graduating, she and Elijah left once again. Instead of attending university in the traditional sense, she took online courses as they traveled both in the continental US and abroad. He taught her more through their travels, both about his life and history and history of the world, than she ever would have thought. He proved to be a most excellent teacher. Away from Mystic Falls, she flourished. She found the best way to feed that was beneficial to both her and the human.

It wasn't until three years after their initial departure from Mystic Falls that their relationship escalated on a more personal level. Their relationship had slowly started to change a year into their travels, however, both remained conscious of the line that separated them from friends and confidants to lovers. They'd flirted and toed the line various times, but were always careful not to cross it.

They'd been in Italy at the time, touring one of the many wineries of the countryside. Wine had been flowing, and he'd been teaching her the best way to determine which flavors she preferred. Up until that point, Elena had always found it amusing when outsiders assumed they were a couple. As such, it was only a rare breed that would dare make a move on one of them. When the suave, town heartbreaker came on to her; Elijah declared her as his with a sound kiss on the lips. He'd completely mowed over the line and she willingly went along with him. The days that followed were hazy thoughts of naked flesh, skin slapping against skin, moans, sighs and screams of pleasure. The transition of friends to lovers was almost seamless, and neither looked back. He'd become her lover, partner, best friend, her other half.

She cleared her thoughts away in time to witness him open and close the front door behind him before he stopped in front of her.

"You are a sight for sore eyes," Elijah murmured, pulling Elena into his embrace. "And you look delectable this evening."

Locking her arms around his neck, she smiled coyly at him. "I'm glad you like it. It took me an hour to put this together." After shaving and washing and styling her hair, she opted for a flimsy, see through night gown. Her hair was piled on her head in a sexy coif, with wisps hanging down around her face.

"I like…very much," he purred as he pulled her closer against him.

"Glad to be home?" Elena asked, pulling out of his embrace. She circled around him and removed his jacket.

"I am. I've missed you this past week."

Leading him to the couch, she gently pushed him down. "Good. I'll help you unwind." Leaning in close to him, she loosened the knot in his tie before unbuttoning first his dress shirt and pushing it down his arms.

"I look forward to that," he admitted.

"Good, because I've been waiting to…unwind with you." When his arms were free, she eagerly removed his under shirt, her mouth settling on his neck. Nipping and licking at the skin, her hand moved to his pants. Unclasping and unzipping them, she started kissing her way down to his happy trail. Moving into a more comfortable position on her knees, she freed his already growing penis from confinement.

SMUT WARNING:

His eyes closed and his head fell against the back of the couch as she stroked him from base to tip, bringing his member to full erection. His eyes shot open as when he felt her take his entire length into her mouth. Groaning, his hand moved to the back of her head, caressing the hair under his hand. "Fuck, you're so good at that."

Elena tilted her head and peered up at him through her lashes. His eyes were impossibly dark and she continued to bob her head up and down the length of his penis.

Unclasping her hair, he watched it cascade down around her face. Moving his hand to the side her face, he brushed her hair back, using his hand to keep it in place. His grasp tightened on her hair and he began directing her movements. "I love the way you suck my cock, Elena," he moaned, making sure not to push her too deep.

His words and groans were enough to spur her on. She felt the familiar coil in her belly and an ache between her legs, she was growing increasingly wet. She would never get enough of him. Three years after being together, she still felt butterflies in her stomach whenever he moaned in pleasure because of her.

"I've missed you, this." It had only been a handful of days, but it had been long enough.

Bringing her hands up, she began massaging his balls with one while stroking the base of his penis with the other; never breaking her head bobs. His groan of appreciation encouraged her to continue with a new fervor. Her vagina throbbed in anticipation and she rubbed her thighs together, hoping to relieve the tension.

Her actions could have very well brought him to completion. Normally, it wouldn't have discouraged him, it would have just been a precursor for the events to come that night. However, he was anxious to be inside her when he came. Gently tugging on her hair, he pulled her up for a long and languid kiss. "I want to be inside you," he told her in a hoarse voice. "I need to be inside you." He easily shed his pants before pulling her over him.

Her heart stuttered upon hearing the desire in his voice and she wasted no time in sinking onto his erection. "You're so tight. If I didn't know better, I'd swear you were made for me," he grunted in satisfaction.

"Maybe I was…" she breathed. Her night dress was gathered in a wrinkled mess against her thighs.

As she settled against him, his heart rate increased. Nodding, he heaved. "Yes, maybe you were," he agreed before attaching his lips to hers. He thrust his tongue in her mouth and set a hard pace. Where she dropped down on him, he thrust up, hitting her even deeper.

Breaking away from his mouth, she heaved a deep breath. Kissing her way across his cheek and down his neck, she sucked on the sensitive skin that connected his shoulder to his neck. "I love you, I love you so much," she panted.

The hands on her hips tightened into a near bruising hold. "I love you back." Wrapping one arm around her waist to secure her to him, he flipped positions.

Her back hit the couch and he hovered over her. The ferocity of their coupling died down, but the intensity didn't. Wrapping her arms around him, she brought her legs up against his thighs. Neither one dared to look away from the other as Elijah slowly pulled out, waiting for her sigh of appreciation before thrusting back in. She moaned loudly and he repeated the action, each thrust becoming a little harder.

"Yes! Oh! Just like that!" She cried, meeting him thrust for thrust.

He'd intended to go slow upon changing positions, but her body and voice were tempting him further into completion. Giving in to the sensations she was eliciting, he figured there would be the rest of the night to make up for the swiftness of their coupling. His thrusts became harder…deeper, and he began hammering into wet, willing body.

Screaming out her satisfaction, she began raking her nails down his back and biting his shoulder; spurring him on further.

Her climax started. When he felt her walls fluttering around him, he hurried to follow her over the edge. Letting go of his precarious control, he allowed her into oblivion. Her vagina tightened his penis, almost becoming a vice grip and he felt a tingling crawl down his back. He bellowed, thrust once, twice, and pushed himself as deep inside her as he could as stream after stream of his cum bathed her inner walls. Collapsing on top of her, Elijah breathed against her neck.

END SMUT:

He began quivering in her embrace and Elena held him against her until his orgasm subsided. Running a hand through his hair, she tilted her head and kissed his temple repeatedly. "I love you," she whispered into the room.

Pushing himself up, he stared at her. Her hair was fanned across the couch, her chest heaving, lips swollen and eyes dilated. She'd never looked more temping, and she was his. "I love you," he declared. Refusing to disconnect from her body, he leaned over the edge of the couch.

"What are you doing?" She asked, laughing over the fact that he refused to get out of her.

"I got you something," he explained, fishing into the pocket of his jacket for the object. Producing a small black box, he handed it over to her.

Her heart stuttered as she reached for the item. "Elijah?" She opened the lid, discovering the most exquisite ring she'd ever seen. It was a vintage diamond halo engagement ring made out of rose gold. She knew next to nothing about sizes of diamonds, but she wouldn't have been surprised if it was more than three karats.

"The first time I gave you a ring, it was with a promise to change your life for the better. I promised to protect you and teach you about the world and about yourself," he began in a hoarse voice. Removing it from the box, he freed up her left hand before looking back into her eyes. "And now I give this ring to you with another promise. After a thousand years, I thought I knew everything there was to know, but I was wrong; because you've changed my life for the better as well. After all the time we've been together, involved romantically or not, you've become a part of me. And if you say 'yes,' I promise that I will spend every day of the rest of my life, loving you like you've never been loved before and treasuring you like you have always deserved."

"You already do that," she reminded him softly.

"But I want to make it official. I've been alive for a thousand years, Elena. I've had plenty of time to experience life, but I've never had a wife. I'd like you to be my first and only, whether we are married for a thousand hours or I'm blessed to live another millennium, I want to share it with you."

"I want that too," Elena whispered. "Yes, I'll marry you."

He slipped the ring on her finger, before leaning down to capture her mouth in a promise. "I know proposing in the vestiges of an orgasm isn't exactly romantic-"

"It was perfect," she interrupted him. "I love you, thank you for coming into my life when you did."

The End

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AN: What did you guys think?


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